Free bus and rail travel for the oldies from next April ??

I've been having a quick read through these posts and got the impression some people think the new concession covers England only but it is the whole of the UK Please see below from the DOT website:
Concessionary bus fares

Concessionary fares schemes offer discounted travel on local public transport for older and disabled people. The Government wants to ensure that bus travel, in particular, remains within the means of those on limited incomes and those who have mobility difficulties. This supports our wider work to tackle social exclusion. Bus travel remains the most used form of public transport, especially by older people.
The Transport Secretary announced on 22 March 2006 that from April 2008 the local entitlement for free bus travel will be extended to allow bus travel in every area of the country. It will mean that whether using the bus locally, or when visiting other parts of the country, older and disabled people will be able to travel for free. Follow the link for the press notice of the announcement.

I bless the day the London 'freedom pass' came into existence - not only do we get free bus travel but also free tube fares and British Rail within the London zones (out to Richmond and Hampton Court). The tube and bus are free from 9am but the BR is from 9.30am. Fantastic.

EdInvestor wrote: »

Details

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses/concessionary/answerstofaq/answerstocbtfaq?page=1#a1002

It looks like every bus pass holder will be issued with a new card before April which will be usable on local bus services anywhere. Only applies to England though.

Hello Ed, Hope your are well. Don't you think this is confusing when you read the extract I have quoted from the DOT site above?. Do you think that "all of the country" does not mean England, Scotland and Wales. If so, one would have thought they would make it clearer.

Ken68 wrote: »

All a prelude to cut down on older people using their own cars...save the planet, save a few accidents, save some money.

Having just updated our car to a 4-year old Peugeot automatic, it ain't going to affect us until/unless we are physically forced to stop driving. Although the new car had to go back for a couple of minor adjustments and DH used his free bus pass for the first time ever. He used to use his half-fare pass when he was still working, especially on late shifts, but he hasn't done that for 6 years now.

And what accidents is it going to save? Most of the accidents around here, as reported in the local paper, are caused by drivers half our age or less.

Me, I haven't got a pass at all, so I won't be getting a free national one.

Re the 'whole country'. Scotland and Wales are devolved and so they make their own decisions about such matters.

Margaret

When we are of pensionable age and back in the UK, I will use my buspass a lot. My house in the UK is in a large city and it is much easier to get about on the bus. I will also use it for visiting my sister at the other end of the West Midlands conurbation. I personally would always chose public transport for travelling in urban areas.

I take Margaret's point though - if you live miles away from a bus stop or can't get to it, the bus pass is not of much use.

And some people (my husband for one) will porobably never use it voluntarily! And that is peoples' choice, to chose to drive if they wish.

But I still think it is an excellent idea for those, like me, who will chose to use it (although I can and will drive too), or for those who don't/can't drive.